Way to Mandalay
by VivianeSyllverMoon
Summary: Song fic to 'Way to Mandalay' by Blackmore's Night. It's basically about Viviane's daughter, Maura, right before a battle. HIGHLY AU.


_I wandered down the pathway_

_Through the misty moor_

The girl with the dark eyes and black hair turned atop the wall of Camelot. She was about 15, and she moved with a nearly animal grace. She was clad in leather. A long rapier hung at her waist; the silver steel blade was engraved with a pentacle made of roses and thorns, and the pommel showed an engraved rose. She smiled, her pale skin glowing in the mid-morning light.

_Like I knew he did_

_A thousand times before_

A voice shouted at her from the guard tower, "A report from Cornwall! The Saxons have reached the castle!" The girl turned towards the tower, and acknowledged the words with a nod, silent. She looked back over the fields, unhurried by the impending threat of the Saxons. Her unruly, thick, straight ebony hair was caught up by a knife that's pommel was engraved with an interwoven pentacle.

_Voices seemed to echo,_

"_Come talk with me a while,"_

Her leather camisole hugged the curves of her upper body, and she leaned down, picking up her chain mail top and leggings, which were made of the strongest steel, at the thinnest possible layer. For her, all that mattered was movement. She slipped them on, sliding her sword into the belt that cinched her armor tight. She reached up and took her hair down with a flick, concealing the knife in her chain mail boot.

"_Just around the corner,_

"_Just another mile."_

She turned, and walked down the stairs with a smooth, unhurried gait. It was simple for her to move without jingling her armor, and she did. She touched a man on his shoulder. "Have you seen my mother?" she asked. Her voice was smooth as silk and is enchanted the young man easily. She smiled slightly, red lips parting to reveal brilliantly white teeth.

_I had heard the stories,_

_Her legend served her well_

"In the council," he said shortly. She smiled at him—he was obviously scared at the thought of his first battle. She had seen many battles, though, and she was not at all frightened. In fact, she showed no emotion at all, but continued on her way to the main hall of the castle Camelot. She would be the one to give the report to the King, her mother, and the Knights of the Round Table.

_A mystic's myth or fable,_

_Truth or fairy tale_

The girl stepped onto the cold stone of the courtyard, walking quickly over it to get to the main hall. She passed many people, but she did not speak to them. Until Accolon of Wales fell into step beside her. She arched her left eyebrow wryly. "What's the newest update?" he asked. "You must have heard, and they haven't told us anything."

_A raggle taggle gypsy_

_With a toothless smile_

"The Saxons have reached Cornwall," she replied. "I shall tell Mother, and you should organize the soldiers here." She looked at Accolon, taking in his armor, sword, and general appearance. He was disheveled, not like her. But then, he had come from Wales, while she had been in Camelot for weeks. The girl shook off all thoughts but those of the report she would be giving in a few moments.

_She said, "Sit with_

"_Me my daring,"_

She walked into the hall, Accolon walking off to the stables to ready the horses for battle. She shook her head, and rapped on the door thrice. Then she walked in, and tossed a velum scroll on the round table in the room's center. "Gentlemen," she said, "and mother. This is the latest news we have. The Saxons are by now past Cornwall and are advancing on us at full speed. We must ready for war now, or all is lost."

"_Let's talk a _

_Little while,"_

"Now, Maur-Maur, isn't that a bit drastic?" asked Lancelot, from his place next to Arthur and his mother, Viviane, the only woman in the room. The girl turned towards him, fire in her deep brown-black eyes. No one had called her Maur-Maur in ages, and just because he was her elder brother did not give him the permission to do so.

_And the road goes on_

_Seeming ever longer_

_On the way to Mandalay_

"No, Lancelot, it isn't," she snapped. "The Saxons will be here in a matter of hours, and if we stay this unprepared they will take this castle and all of Britannia with it! I am fighting this battle on your request, Lancelot, and I could just as easily be riding beside Arik! You asked for my help—you have it. Now listen to my advice, or there may not be a tomorrow."

_And the road goes on_

_Forever will I wander_

_On the way to Mandalay_

"Maura is right," said Viviane, from her place between Lancelot and Gawain. "If the Saxons are past Cornwall, they will be here before the day is out, and they will attack as fast as they can. And, Lancelot, you know that Maura is the most accomplished strategist you can have on your side when fighting the Saxons. You requested her opinion. You have it. It is up to the King whether or not to follow her advice, but do not shun it. It is the greatest asset you have."

_The mile went on forever,_

_The minutes turned to days_

Maura turned and walked away, into the main part of the castle. She was looking for her cousins Morgaine and Guinevere. She needed them to begin making remedies fort he troops. She knew that the Saxons would start a siege of Camelot, and it could go on for weeks, perhaps even months. She was dearly glad that hr mother had insisted that she bring the healing herbs, just in case the Saxons managed to attack while they were in Camelot.

_Could I have been misguided_

_By the mystic's ways?_

Maura shook her head, and climbed the stairs. She strode to Morgaine's room, knocked thrice, and opened the door. The bare-looking room was empty but for a bed and a table and two chairs. The girl sighed—she really did not want to go into Guinevere's room, with all its pictures of saints and crosses and her Christian god. Maura was really not comfortable there.

_The moment lasts forever,_

_At least it does for me_

She sighed, and began to walk to Guinevere's chambers, shuddering at the thought of facing the image of someone crucified. Maura had never really gotten the reason for hanging up images of a dead body on walls and such, even though Viviane had explained it to her numerous times. She tired to shake off the uneasiness she felt, and only succeeded in doing so by reminding herself that Morgaine would be there as well.

_Caught between what happened_

_And what could never be_

Maura knocked on Guinevere's door once, instead of thrice, for knocking on a door thrice was a symbol of trust, and she did not trust Guinevere. The door opened promptly, and she was confronted by a servant of Guinevere's. "I need to speak with my cousins Guinevere and Morgaine," she said. "It is urgent, I am afraid, so you must make haste, and I do not care if the Queen does not wish to see me. I am here on the orders of the High King."

_And the road goes on_

_Seeming ever longer_

_On the way to Mandalay_

The servant nodded, and let Maura in. She smiled at the man as she walked by, and slipped into the room. "Cousins!" she said. "War is afoot, and the soldiers of Britannia shall be wounded. Since you cannot fight, you must benefit the Crown in some way. Heal our wounded, Cousins, I implore you!"

_And the road goes on_

_Forever will I wander_

_On the way to Mandalay_

"How?" asked Guinevere, even as Morgaine stood and began to search the room for herbs. Maura herself pulled out the bunches she had brought with her, and went to help Morgaine look. Together they came up with some herbs that would be of use, but not much. They shared a look as Morgaine found a huge bundle of angelica under Guinevere's bed.

_And the road goes on_

_Seeming ever longer_

_On the way to Mandalay_

"Morgaine, you can take this form here, can't you?" asked Maura. Morgaine nodded, and she left. The girl walked back down the steps, and started towards the stables, to check on the Calvary. She saw, to her surprise, Lancelot heading the rest of the knights as they readied their horses. They were all ready for battle, and Lancelot smiled at her. "I'm sorry, Maura," he said.

_And the road goes on_

_Forever will I wander_

_On the way to Mandalay_

She smiled at him, and walked back into the stables, leading her white horse, SunSar, out and saddling her. She mounted, pulling out her sword and resting it across her things, in much the same way as Lancelot. She nudged SunStar's sides with her knees, and then turned back to Lancelot just before she exited the stables. "You know," she said, "you can call me Maur-Maur."

_And the road goes on_

_Seeming ever longer_

_On the way to Mandalay_

Lancelot grinned. Maura returned the expression, and then left, riding into the Hall of Camelot, looking for Viviane. "Mother!" she said, upon finding her. "I am going out to scout. Would you come?" Maura's voice, usually unreadable, or filled with false emotion, was alive with real hope and vitality. The love she held for her family blossomed in her bottomless eyes as she awaited her mother's response.

_And the road goes on_

_Forever will I wander_

_On the way to Mandalay_

Viviane smiled, and nodded. She walked out and mounted her horse, Mystic, and rode beside Maura. Lancelot saw them, and urged his horse, a black stallion named Nightwish, to the other side of Maura. "Open the gates," yelled Maura. The gates opened. Instantly. The three rode out, SunStar galloping ahead by a nose, while Mystic and Nightwish lay back just a bit, Mystic pulling a head…barely. "Eeeee yaaah!" called Maura, the ancient call of content and battle. Her mother and brother echoed her.


End file.
